Home School Science Discoveries

School of Science faculty have been offering laboratory experiences titled “Home School Science Discoveries” to home schooled children for the past few semesters. These experiences can be one to three hours in length. The first of five sessions of Home School Science Discoveries took place Feb.1. Dr. Daniel Biles (Mathematics) led the session called “Metric Estimations” and was assisted by Belmont mathematics majors, McLean Smith and Dana Pare. Fifteen home schooled students in fifth through eighth gradesattended the session. Other sessions scheduled for this year include “Structures and Functions of Your Brain” led by Dr. Nick Ragsdale, “Fun with Chemistry” led by Dr. Rachel Rigsby, and “What’s Alive in a Sample of Water?” led by Dr. Steve Murphree.

2012 ScheduleMonday, March 12, 12 -1 p.m.
Hitch 309Dr. Nick Ragsdale
“Structures and Functions of Your Brain”
Students will work with models and, if available, pre-dissected sheep brains to understand how the brain looks and functions in them. Maximum of 15 students.
Grades 5-8

Friday, March 23, 10 a.m. – noon
Hitch 309
Dr. Steve Murphree
“What’s Alive in a Sample of Water?”
Students will use dissecting microscopes as a tool in biology to examine and identify organisms from fresh pond or tree hole water samples they have brought with them in containers (a turkey baster makes a good sampling tool).
Grades 1-8